In the heart of the Alpilles mountains, between Arles and Avignon, Les Baux-de-Provence is one of France's most beautiful villages. This city of stone and history, famous for its cathedral of stone and light, welcomes over a million visitors every year. What to see and do in Les Baux de Provence? Follow the guide!
How to visit Les Baux de Provence
Between Saint-Rémy-de-Provence and Noves, our pretty little family campsite in the Alpilles is just 20 km from Les Baux-de-Provence. Getting there is easy. Perched on a rocky outcrop above fields of vines and olive trees, this typical Provencal village can only be visited on foot. So leave your car in the car park and use your legs. Pay parking is available every day from 8am to 7pm.
Walking tour of the village of Les Baux de Provence
A series of steps will take you to the centre of the village, which has become a veritable "Lighthouse of Provence". This admirably restored 13th-century medieval village is now a thriving business and craft centre. A maze of cobbled streets lined with Renaissance mansions and stone houses leads to the esplanade of the Château.
Among the most remarkable historic monuments is the Hôtel de Manville, with its courtyard surrounded by arcades, which houses the town hall of Les Baux. The Hôtel des Porcelets, with its vaulted room decorated with superb frescoes, is home to the Musée Yves Brayer, dedicated to one of the most emblematic painters of the 20th century.
A small square serves as a forecourt for the church of Saint-Vincent, partly carved out of the rock, where every Christmas a living nativity scene opens the midnight mass. Opposite, the Pénitents-Blancs chapel is decorated with modern frescoes by the painter Yves Brayer. On the Place Louis Jou, visit the Musée des santons. The collection includes dressed santons, Neapolitan figurines and scenes illustrating the Christmas traditions of Provence. (Free admission)
The Château des Baux de Provence
Access to the castle ruins is via a carved street, whose high rock faces contain troglodytic houses, some of which date back to the 11th century. Built into the side of a cliff on three levels, the Château des Baux-de-Provence is a listed historic monument covering 5 hectares.
Visitors can explore the keep, the Saracen and Paravelle towers, the castle chapel, the hare hole, the cistern, the oven house, the dovecotes, the lower rooms and the farmyard. The Saracen tower, the highest point of the château at 245 metres above sea level, is a belvedere from which you can enjoy a 360-degree view of the horizon.
Château des Baux-de-Provence is open all year round. Adults: €8, children aged 7 to 17: €6, children under 7 free. Further information: www.chateau-baux-provence.com
The Carrières de Lumières
The name of Les Baux-de-Provence is associated with the Carrières de Lumières, located 800 m from the medieval castle. A former limestone quarry, the Carrières de Lumières are a feast for the eyes and ears of spectators.
Immense works by the great masters of painting (Vermeer, Gaudi, Van Gogh...) are projected onto the floors, walls and ceilings of more than 6,000 m2, accompanied by music. A multimedia show that changes every season, offering a sensory experience that goes beyond the imagination.
DID YOU KNOW? In 2021, the Carrières de Lumières had the honour of hosting the cruise fashion show of the famous Chanel fashion house.
- The Carrières des Lumières are open every day, including public holidays. Individual ticket price: €14.50, from 7 to 25 years old: €12, free for children under 7. Further information: www.carrieres-lumieres.com
